Preparing for Monsoon Season: Chao Phraya Dam Mobilizes Machinery to Clear Tens of Thousands of Water Hyacinths Upstream
The Chao Phraya Dam has deployed boats and heavy machinery to remove tens of thousands of water hyacinths and debris upstream before monsoon season, ensuring drainage systems operate properly during potential flooding.
Chai Nat – The Chao Phraya River Water Supply and Maintenance Project in Saraphi District, Chai Nat Province has mobilized water hyacinth removal boats, extended-boom backhoes, and various machinery to urgently collect tens of thousands of water hyacinths, weeds, and accumulated garbage in the area upstream of the Chao Phraya Dam. The operation aims to open water channels and prevent obstructions to the drainage system, implementing the Royal Irrigation Department's nine-point strategic plan to prepare for the 2025 monsoon season and ensure irrigation systems operate at full capacity before the flooding period begins.
Thalerngkitти Suwannachat, director of the Chao Phraya River Water Supply and Maintenance Project, explained that removing water hyacinths and weeds from the dam area is an annual routine task, particularly as the rainy season approaches when water hyacinth accumulation becomes denser than normal. The dam has therefore mobilized machinery for urgent collection and increased collection points to prevent these plants from obstructing or damaging water drainage structures. If left unmanaged, they could significantly impact water management during mid-monsoon or flooding periods.
Regarding overall water conditions in the Chao Phraya Basin this year, meteorological agencies forecast that Thailand may face scattered rainfall and possible El Niño effects in some periods. The Royal Irrigation Department has prepared contingency measures and comprehensive water management plans. Current water reserves in major dams, including Bhumibol and Sirikit Dams, remain adequate to meet the needs of all water users throughout the country.
